Submersible bearing construction



Aug. 1, 1950 A. J. ROUBAL 2,516,913

SUBMERSIBLE BEARING CONSTRUCTION Original Filed Dec. 14, 1945 IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIA III/IIIIIIIA INVENTOR mm lac/WY) ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 1, 1950 NITED STATES PATEN OFFICE SUBMERSIBLE BEARING CONSTRDCTION Alexander Llltou'hal, Milwaukee, Wis, assignor to Allis-Chalmers ,,Manufacturing Company, Milwaukee, Wis, a corporation of Delaware Original application December 14, 1945, :Serial No. 634,931. Divided andlthisapplication, N ovember 13, L946, .Serial No. -T0.9,62.3

'1 This application is a; division .of an application Serial No. 634,931, filed Decemberill, 1945,'by'the same inventor for Agitator, and relates in particular to submerged bearings forverticial shafts.

The principal object of this invention concerns the provision of a submerged bearing of improved type for locationof the 'lowerend of a vertical rotating shaft in a tank, in which the operative bearing surfaces are protected from the entrance ofliquids by the diving "bell principle, both in operative*position'and during liftingfand lowering of the shaft and bearing structure throughthebody of liquid in -fzhe' tarik.

"Another object is the combination-of thebearing structure mentioned above-with 'a-device for maintaining a gaseous atmosphere in the bell andblowing settled solids away fromthe vi'cinity of the bell in operation.

The above mentioned andstill further "objects and advantages maybe secured and-carried into practical efieot as describedbelow with reference to the accompanying drawingin'which:

"Fig. 1 15a vertical sectional view-of an agitator having "a bearing according -"to the present invention;

Fig/2 is an enlarged vertical seotional=view of the submerged shaft end" and bearing structure Fig. 3 is a cross sectional viaytaken "onthe line III- IIIof Fig. '2; and

Fig. is a top elevation of the bearing -receivingibase shown in Fig. 2 with bearing structure removed.

In :a preferred embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawing, a tank *l for-containing fa b'odyoffluid mixture to be agitatedfhas frame :2 extending across the top, on "which is mounted anagitator clrive mechanism '3 for supp'ortingrand ro'tating an impeller shafti extendin'g wertically downward into and substantially to the bottom of tank l. The'sha'ftsupporting assembly 2 3 and-"shaft 'd'is arranged so as to be removable upwardly from and replaceable downwardl'y tothe operative position "illustrated.

Secured to shaft 4! intermediate its length-, antl' within the tank when' the shaft tis in-operative position, isa fiu'idimpeller, which in the present embodiment is a propeller "5t Propeller fiis 'ar ranged to propel fiu'id mixture generally down-- wardly in the vicinity thereof, aal'ong shaft 4,

wayiss'hown at l "for reception of aconventional key (not shown) suitably engaging the hub 8 or propellers in'known, suitable, manner to pre vent 'r'lativerotation of the propeller and shaft in operation. Propeller locating spacerw'sleeves 9 are provided to fit slidably on the propeller mounting portion of theshaft 4. Asho ulder "N forms an abutment limiting the axial'movemeiit in one direction of the sleeves 9,'and hub ll, which are arranged in selected order-on the shaft 4 in series abutting relation to shoulder ll. "lt'will be clear thatifthe hubflabuts H withall sleeves 9 between it and-the lower shaft end, the-propeller" Q "will occupy an uppermost position shown by'broken lines in Fig. 1; and if all spacer-sleeves 9' are placed *above the hub -8 the propeller firw'ill.

occupy a lowermost position shown by'broken lines in Fig. 1, as comparedwith the position o'f the propeller 6 as indicated-in full lines inFig; .1'. The sleeves 3 and hub 8, assembled iii-selected order-on the shaft 4, are clamped in position between shoulder "I l and clamp plate f2- as shown in Fig. 1. Plate lil 'issecured, as bycap screws 3, to *the lowermost end of shaft 4-, and projects beyondthe *shaftperiphery sufficiently to" enga the sleeves 9 or hub 8 in clam-ping relation, either directly (not-shown) or indirectly-through an additionalend spacer, which, in the drawing, is shownas a flanged coupling member W4 adapted for attachment of a bearing housing member 16, *described hereinbelow.

Bearing h'ous'ing [6 is "externally-provided with generally radially extending blades *W' forming an- -auxiiiarrz impeller for centrifugally "impelling fluid radially outward-1y near the bottom of tank i gthus cooperating with axial propeller B'tocause a 'flowof "fluid down along the shaft and outwardly over the tank bottom. Adjustment of the propeller 5 axiallyzrelative to the'auailiary impe'll'er ll will provide for optimumefiectiveness on various fluid mixtures according to "their flow characteristics.

"In'order to provide a steadybearing for1positively locatingthe submerged end of shafttl in operative position against 'disp1acementbylaterall-y 'a'cting'forces, a bearing surface, such 'as cylindrical stub shaft 18, "is provided within the housing It. Housing [6 is arrangedto form a fluid tight bell' housing adapte'cl to-retain'a gaseous fluid atmosphere under pressurepwhichwill prevent-access of aliquid mixture in-tank I to the bearing surface-of IS so long as thehousinglfi is fluid-"tight down to-a level'substantially below any part of the 'bearing surface of l 8;

m radial bearing engagement witWthe-haring' on a pilot bearing base 24, in the tank bottom.

Further, the bushing I9 may have a lateral extension or extensions cooperating with a retaining ring or lifter plate i'il, which is secured to the housing US after assembly of bushing [9 on stub shaft It, to limit axially outward motion of bushing I 9 relative to housing It.

Pilot bearing base 24 may be formed as shown, as an annulus 28 supported by an open cage 29 secured to the tank bottom in any suitable mannerf However, any suitable device for freely receiving bushing l9 in lateral thrust transmitting relation may be substituted for base 24.

, In order to provide for establishing, maintaining or renewing a gaseous atmosphere under pressure within the bell housing It, and for admission of excess air, a pipe 3! is provided with nozzle tip outlet 32 vertically below the opening of bell housing I6 when in operative position. Pipe 3! is connected with a suitable source of gaseous fluid under pressure (not shown) In operation of the agitator described above, a

fluid mixture, such as a liquid with fine solids suspended therein, is placed in the tank 8. Rotation of shaft 4 causes propeller 6, properly set to best level for the particular material being treated, to propel liquids or liquid suspensions downward along shaft 4. Impeller blades l'l cause liquid surrounding housing It to be impelled radially outward over the bottom of tank I. These actions cooperate to create an optimum agitation of fluids in the tank. Supply of air through pipe 3| and nozzle 32 maintains a gaseous atmosphere under pressure in housing [6 which, by the diving bell principle, prevents the entrance of any liquid into bell [6 above a level determined by the fluid pressure within bell Hi. The liquid level in bell housing It is maintained sufficiently low to prevent intrusion of liquid into the relatively rotating interengaging bearing surfaces of elements i8 and I9.

, Occasionally, for example, as a result of stoppage of the impeller, solids may collect in the vicinity of the opening of bell l6 and around the blades I! which would, if not removed, tend to impede rotation of the impeller and tend to intrude into the housing i6. To prevent this, and to effectively maintain the atmosphere in bell [6, excess air may be intermittently or continuously forced through pipe 3! and nozzle 32. Excess air sosupplied will escape around the mouth of the bell l6 and force any settling solids away from the vicinity of the housing, bearing and impeller structure, thus increasing the effectiveness of the device in maintaining or obtaining a homogeneous mixture in the tank.

When it is necessary to lift shaft 4 with its impellers, for any reason such as repairs, it will be seen that lifter plate 21 will engage projections 26 and lift bushing IS with the housing It. This provides for lifting of the whole operative bearing structure with the shaft. Reinsertion of the agitating mechanism in a full tank will be facili- 4 tated by provision of the self-centering pilot surfaces 22 and 23. Since surface 23 is supported by a cage, no fluid can be trapped when surface 22 is engaging surface 23. Accordingly, the shaft 4 may be freely lifted and lowered from and to operative position without danger of fouling of the hearing by the liquid mixturein the tank.

While a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described, it will be understood that the invention is intended to include such modifications and equivalents as may be within the scope of the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a submersible bearing for a shaft adapted to have one end lifted and lowered from and to an operative position below the level of a body of liquid, a bell housing on the submersible end of said shaft adapted to be lifted and lowered with said shaft, bearing means within said housing rotatably engagingsaid shaft, means limiting axial freedom of motion of said bearing means relative tosaid bell housing during lifting of said shaft and housing, and means on said bearing means adapted to engage a submerged surface in lateral thrust transmitting relation when said shaft and bearing means are in operative position.

2. A bearingaccording to claim 1 in which means are provided to supply a gaseous fluid under pressure to the interior of said bell housing while submerged in operative position.

3. A divingbell type bearing for operation submerged in a body of liquid comprising an element rotating on a substantially vertical axis to be supported against lateral displacement relative to said axis, bearing means rotatably engaging said element in coaxial relation, means limiting axial movement of said bearing means relative to said element during lifting of said element, a bell housing surrounding said element and said hearing means in upwardly fluid tight relation, the opening of said bell housing being everywhere below any opening in said bearing member, and

said bearing member being provided with means for engaging a submerged surface in lateral thrust transmitting relation and upwardly removable from said surface solely by relative movement of said means and said submerged surface.

4. A bell protected bearing for insertion and removal into lateral thrust transmitting relation with a liquid submerged surface, comprising a. downwardly open upwardly fluid tight bell housing, a bearing surface within said housing, a bearing element engaging said bearing surface in relatively rotatable bearing engagement within said bell, a lateral thrust transmitting surface on said. bearing element adapted to engage in lateral thrusttransmitting relation with said submerged surface upon being lowered into engagement therewith, and means limiting axial freedom of motion of said bearing element relative to said bell housing during disengagement of said lateral sleeve retainingmeans including relatively rotatable portions carried by said sleeve and shaft, said portions being operatively engageable to prevent removal of said sleeve from said journal and bell by axial movement of said sleeve relative to said shaft and hell.

6. In a submersible steady bearing for a rotary element, a cylindrical bearing surface on said element coaxial with the axis of rotation of said element, a bell housing on said element surrounding said bearing surface, a bearing sleeve engaging said bearing surface in rotatable relation Within said housing, said bearing sleeve having a lateral thrust transmitting surface adapted to engage a suitably formed steady rest in lateral thrust transmitting relation, and retaining means carried by said sleeve and element, said retaining means being operatively engageable to prevent removal of said sleeve from said bell by relative axial movement.

'7. In a steady bearing for a rotary element having a vertical axis of rotation, a steady rest having a bearing receiving socket, said element having a downwardly open bell housing, a cylindrical bearing surface on said element within said bell housing, a bearing sleeve engaging said bearing surface in rotatable relation Within said housing, sleeve retaining means carried by said sleeve and element axially engageable to prevent removal of said sleeve from said bell housing, said sleeve having a lateral thrust transmitting surface engageable in said socket by relative axial movement in lateral thrust transmitting element centering relation.

ALEXANDER J. RDUBAL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 714,007 Mittag .b Nov. 18, 1902 2,143,373 Gaertner Jan. 10, 1939 

